This invention generally relates to shaving devices, and more specifically to a razor blade arrangement which includes two razor blades whose general spacing and relative positions or orientations within a safety razor are modified by a spacer element disposed between the two razor blades.
Numerous shaving devices are known in the prior art. The general aim or goal of all of these devices is to provide a better shave for the user, a shave which is closer while minimizing the risks of injury or damage to the skin of the user. For this purpose, numerous safety razor blade devices have been proposed, such as the safety razor blade described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,905.
Additionally, the use of spacers in conjunction with single or double blade arrangements is also known. When used with single blades, the inserts are normally intended to support the blade at its cutting edge even though located at varying distances from the guard. Such inserts are additionally intended to stabilize the cutting edge when in use. Typical of single blade arrangements using inserts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,313,818 and German Pat. No. 803,281.
With respect to the double razor blade arrangements, these have typically been used to provide a double cutting action which is simultaneous in time so as to make shaving more efficient. The double blade razors frequently have the goal of first engaging the hair to be cut with one blade and cutting it with the other blade. Other known razor blade arrangements of the double blade type have been promoted as providing quick shaves with relatively low blade pressure against the skin and without skin irritation or damage. However, with the prior art double edge arrangements, the blades are normally maintained in spaced relation during use, there being no contact between the two spaced blades. In fact, in some prior art devices, the cutting edges of the adjacent blades have been substantially spaced from each other. Another characteristic inherent in most of the prior art devices is that the blades have been maintained parallel to each other over their coextensive surfaces, and including in the region of the longitudinal cutting edges. Accordingly, the cutting edges of both cooperating or associated blades have generally provided a uniform or substantially equal angle of attack with respect to the hair to be cut. Typical of the two-blade arrangements which have utilized inserts include the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,319,980; 1,911,378; 3,262,206; 2,794,252 and German Pat. No. 853,397.
In none of the prior art devices which utilize two razor blades, are the razor blades flexed at different radii of curvature by a spacer therebetween in order that the cutting edges are maintained in longitudinal pressure abutment against each other when the razor blades and the insert element are placed in a safety razor. Additionally, the prior arrangements do not contemplate a spacer element which is configurated and dimensioned to offset the relative orientations of the cutting edges to each other and the transverse positions thereof.
More recent approaches have used two razor blades having different widths, as shown in FIG. 2 of this application. The two razor blades are positioned adjacently to each other as shown and spot welded. The widths of the two cooperating blades are such as to provide a distance or spacing D between the adjacent cutting edges. However, as is evident from FIG. 3, the prior art approach prevents relative movements between the adjacent cutting edges, so that even when the blade arrangement is placed in a safety razor and the blades are simultaneously flexed, the distance or spacing between the cutting edges remains at the preselected value D.
Most recently, injection as well as cartridge razor blade arrangements have been proposed and sold commercially. Many of these arrangements utilize two single edge blades which are spaced to each other. However, as with the prior art shaving devices described above, the blades are maintained substantially parallel over their entire surface areas and the cutting edges are not placed in contact with each other or in pressure abutment against each other. These newer arrangements have additionally relied upon substantially parallel cutting edges which have not provided the flexibility or adjustability required to provide a comfortable close shave under varying shaving conditions or personalized to the individual beard of the user.
A shaving arrangement has even been proposed which utilizes a plurality of razor blades, five being disclosed in French Pat. No. 684,234. As with the prior art devices described above, the spacer elements between adjacent blades merely space the blades from each other but does not effect a modification in the radii of curvature of adjacent blades so as to place the cutting edges in proximity to each other, and advantageously, into pressure abutment against each other while offsetting the transverse distances between the cutting edges and the relative angular orientations therebetween.